Kung Hei Fat Choy! It's the Year of the Pig!

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Happy Chinese New Year! Is anyone planning any special Chinese meals this weekend?

Back in the days when I used to live in Hong Kong, I used to love the New Year there because it would be a four day public holiday PLUS the salary paid at the end of January would be DOUBLE PAY for that month (it's considered very bad luck to begin the New Year with any debts hanging over you, so lots of companies would pay staff a big bonus in order to ensure new year solvency good luck). And the fireworks over the harbour were spectacular.

I bought some boxes of fortune cookies in the Co-Op for 99p - the kids love them - and will be cooking a chinese supper tomorrow night, but I haven't decided what yet. Any suggestions? What's your favourite chinese food?

Here's a list of events to celebrate the CNY in London, etc :

http://www.bbc.co.uk/london/features/events/chinese_new_year/index.shtml

Let's talk about things Chinese. Happy New Year!

― C J (C J), Friday, 16 February 2007 09:25 (seventeen years ago) link

According to the Times, the year of the pig is set to be very auspicious, hurrah!

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/china/article1390527.ece

― C J (C J), Friday, 16 February 2007 09:27 (seventeen years ago) link

I have two meals planned for Sunday with relatives, and then... LAZER TAG!!!

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Friday, 16 February 2007 10:15 (seventeen years ago) link

a four day public holiday PLUS the salary paid at the end of January would be DOUBLE PAY for that month

This is teh awesome!

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 16 February 2007 10:33 (seventeen years ago) link

I'm born under the sign of the Pig, so this is an auspicious year for me! Time to start anew and so on. Yay! CNY around Melbourne should be megafun, chinatown in the city always goes crazy with fun this time of year. Also, our city Lord Mayor is this cool Chinese guy, so it is assured!

― Trayce (trayce), Friday, 16 February 2007 10:37 (seventeen years ago) link

I was born in the year of the Dog as was Kate. We were discussing this at Kate's Burns Night party coz she has a Chinese calendar on her wall from the Chinese restaurant at the end of her road. Not only does it detail all the different animals and the years they relate to, it says which ppl get on. My gf was relived to see that 1975 babies born in the year of the Rabbit get on well with Dogs although i did point out the absurdity of any harmony resulting from putting Rabbits and Dogs together!

Al Stewart would no doubt be distrught to discover that there is no Year of the Cat.

― MarkH (MarkH), Friday, 16 February 2007 11:11 (seventeen years ago) link

What's your favourite chinese food?

Crispy duck!

― OleM (OleM), Friday, 16 February 2007 12:03 (seventeen years ago) link

Let the dog see the rabbit, hur hur.

― C J (C J), Friday, 16 February 2007 12:05 (seventeen years ago) link

Let the dog see the rabbit

my Dad used to say that ALL the time! I even wrote a song about it! the chorus went

I know this is going to sound
Really, really bad
I'm starting to use expressions
That are used by my dad

and the verse went

There's a pint for me standing on the bar
I'm trying desperately to grab it
There's loads of people in the way
I say "Let the dog see the rabbit!"
Suddenly a motorcyclist
Comes whizzing down the road
He does an impromptu wheelie
And I say "Well I'll be blowed!"

― MarkH (MarkH), Friday, 16 February 2007 12:07 (seventeen years ago) link

I imagine Chas'n'Dave singing that. With Beryl on backing vocals.

Please make this happen.

― C J (C J), Friday, 16 February 2007 12:11 (seventeen years ago) link

there was another verse that concerned "stone the crows!" as well.

I went through a comedy song writing stage in early 2001. Anything could spark me off. I remember i was on my way back from Brighton having just visited Archel and the train passed through a place called Dorking Deepdene. i thought it was a funny name so wrote a song about it which went

Dorking Deep, Dorking Deep, Dorking Deepdene how lovely, Dorking Deep, Dorking Deep, Dorking Deepdene how lovely!

I took a train
to Dorking Deepdene
Don't call me stingy
No don't call me mean
It's more exclusive
To travel by cab
But I'm impoverished coz I work in a lab

Dorking Deep, Dorking Deep, Dorking Deepdene how lovely, Dorking Deep, Dorking Deep, Dorking Deepdene how lovely!

I took a train to Dorking Deepdene
I'm feeling sanguine, I'm feeling serene
I read a book until something distracts me
That's not so easy if you travel by taxi

― MarkH (MarkH), Friday, 16 February 2007 12:17 (seventeen years ago) link

Hey, Fat Choy to you all! :-)

― StanM (StanM), Friday, 16 February 2007 12:18 (seventeen years ago) link

We're heading back home for a friend's yearly party. I need to go pick up a gallon of chili sauce and red packets for the kids today!

― Dan I. (w1nt3rmut3), Friday, 16 February 2007 14:40 (seventeen years ago) link

I think this might be just the excuse need to try out Dim Sum Sunday Lunch at See Woo.

― Madchen (Madchen), Friday, 16 February 2007 14:52 (seventeen years ago) link

wow. . I want to live in HK.

I'm also thinking this would be a good weekend for Dim Sum at our Chinese brother-in-law's restaurant.

― Ms Misery (MsMisery), Friday, 16 February 2007 14:55 (seventeen years ago) link

2+2 = 5

that's a Dim Sum.

― MarkH (MarkH), Friday, 16 February 2007 14:55 (seventeen years ago) link

well, almost the same thing, i celebrate TET! happy new year! the temple hosted celebrations last weekend, it was wonderful! my favorite part will always be fireworks/dragon. i was born under the horse sign - my mom and uncle too!

― AiLien (AMD), Friday, 16 February 2007 14:57 (seventeen years ago) link

Dim Sum lunch with the fam tmrw - not just for CNY but also to celebrate my brother-in-law's birthday.

― Stuck in ILX Limbo (Roz), Friday, 16 February 2007 14:59 (seventeen years ago) link

I am a pig person, rah. Birthday two weeks from today!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 16 February 2007 15:00 (seventeen years ago) link

i'm excited for long life noodles.

― Lauren (lauren), Friday, 16 February 2007 15:22 (seventeen years ago) link

they pale in comparison to life-long noodles.

― MarkH (MarkH), Friday, 16 February 2007 15:23 (seventeen years ago) link

Gung Hay Fat Choy!!

Might do dim sum on Monday.

Mark, in all fairness, noodles are rather pale to begin with.

― Michael White (Miguelito), Friday, 16 February 2007 15:25 (seventeen years ago) link

I think this might be just the excuse need to try out Dim Sum Sunday Lunch at See Woo.

might they not be closed dear?

i am going to bodeans tonight and will have pulled pork in honour of year of pig.

― CarsmileSteve (Carsmile Steve), Friday, 16 February 2007 15:54 (seventeen years ago) link

ohhhh steal my jokes why don't you!

― cis boom bah (cis), Friday, 16 February 2007 16:29 (seventeen years ago) link

hurrah! gung xi fat cai

i'm like, totally in hong kong. having just come back from singapore.

i received loads of FREE CASH from my sister's rich in-laws. GET IN.

― ken c (ken c), Sunday, 18 February 2007 16:19 (seventeen years ago) link

Mark, in all fairness, noodles are rather pale to begin with.

that's why you cook it with dark soy sauce

― ken c (ken c), Sunday, 18 February 2007 16:20 (seventeen years ago) link

i never realized before that Ned is exactly one day older than i am.

― Kimstitch (kimstitch), Sunday, 18 February 2007 16:28 (seventeen years ago) link

you've done your maths wrong

― ken c (ken c), Sunday, 18 February 2007 17:20 (seventeen years ago) link

you're not almost 72

― ken c (ken c), Sunday, 18 February 2007 17:22 (seventeen years ago) link

I'll go to an office party with delicious foods but funnily enough last year they served Japanese food for CNY...? So a trip for real dim sum on the side is a distinct possibility.

― Laurel (Laurel), Sunday, 18 February 2007 17:23 (seventeen years ago) link

:( the sciences hate me.

― Kimstitch (kimstitch), Sunday, 18 February 2007 17:32 (seventeen years ago) link

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/142/394418212_275aa0108a.jpg?v=0

― Ed (dali), Sunday, 18 February 2007 20:30 (seventeen years ago) link

i never realized before that Ned is exactly one day older than i am.

And that makes both of you only a week or 2 older than me :D

― Trayce (trayce), Sunday, 18 February 2007 21:27 (seventeen years ago) link

As a Swinburn, I suppose this is pretty auspicious for me.

― a bulldog fed a cookie shaped like a kitten (austin), Sunday, 18 February 2007 22:02 (seventeen years ago) link

i am AN ORSE

kung hei fat choi ppl. i wish i was at hong kong harbour. or repulse bay.

― emsk ( emsk ), Monday, 19 February 2007 01:18 (seventeen years ago) link

This rat did not go for dim sum, after all - but I did go for an eight-course CNY lunch. Phew. Happy new year, everybody.

― Stuck in ILX Limbo (Roz), Monday, 19 February 2007 02:15 (seventeen years ago) link

i went to dim sum!

― jhoshea (jhoshea), Monday, 19 February 2007 02:16 (seventeen years ago) link

Trayce, as an FYI, this year will actually be inauspicious for you, according to my Chinese momma. For some arcane zodiacal reason, when your zodiac year comes up, it's not a good thing, and you have to do some Buddhist somesuch to ward off the inauspiciousness. Alternately, you can send me $$$ and I will see to it! ^_^

― Donkey Kong New York (Lee), Monday, 19 February 2007 02:21 (seventeen years ago) link

Oh dear! :|

― Trayce (trayce), Monday, 19 February 2007 02:26 (seventeen years ago) link

So I gotta do a Buddhist for luck, right. Any takers?

― Trayce (trayce), Monday, 19 February 2007 02:26 (seventeen years ago) link

Hold on, I'm converting right now.

― Donkey Kong New York (Lee), Monday, 19 February 2007 02:28 (seventeen years ago) link

There, OM ready!

― Donkey Kong New York (Lee), Monday, 19 February 2007 02:35 (seventeen years ago) link

Badoom tish.

― Trayce (trayce), Monday, 19 February 2007 03:24 (seventeen years ago) link

See Woo was groaning with people and we hadn't booked so we went to my local indie coffee shop instead. Dim Sum next Sunday, maybe.

― Madchen (Madchen), Monday, 19 February 2007 13:03 (seventeen years ago) link

http://www.jackiechankids.com/images/red_envelope.jpg

― The RealJTMod (Real JT Mod of Team Courage), Tuesday, 20 February 2007 03:03 (seventeen years ago) link

i never realized before that Ned is exactly one day older than i am.

Conspiracy.

It's more Tet around here given the Vietnamese emigre population, but of course it's the same celebration, so roxor.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 20 February 2007 03:28 (seventeen years ago) link

RED ENVELOPES, YEAH! MOTHERFUCKERS
http://www.seedyuk.com/images/pocket.jpg
http://www.seedyuk.com/images/money.jpg

― ken c (ken c), Tuesday, 20 February 2007 13:19 (seventeen years ago) link

i got some waiting for me at home this weekend :D

― lexpretend (lexpretend), Tuesday, 20 February 2007 13:23 (seventeen years ago) link

That noise that sounds like someone at the end of a concrete hallway pissing into an unlined metal garbage can? It's the firecrackers going off down in the alleys of Chinatown.

― Michael White (Miguelito), Tuesday, 20 February 2007 18:27 (seventeen years ago) link

The holiday is increasingly big business in Vegas, moreso than the Superbowl. They even flew in Jacky Cheung to play a few dates.

― they be stealin' kingfish's bucket (kingfish), Wednesday, 21 February 2007 16:46 (seventeen years ago) link

omg jacky cheung!!!

― ken c (ken c), Wednesday, 21 February 2007 16:50 (seventeen years ago) link

i know! I thought he had killed himself a few years ago!

― they be stealin' kingfish's bucket (kingfish), Wednesday, 21 February 2007 16:51 (seventeen years ago) link

nah that's leslie cheung!

― ken c (ken c), Wednesday, 21 February 2007 17:01 (seventeen years ago) link

what's the difference between the two?

― they be stealin' kingfish's bucket (kingfish), Wednesday, 21 February 2007 17:03 (seventeen years ago) link

one's gay and one isn't

but they look the same

― ken c (ken c), Wednesday, 21 February 2007 17:06 (seventeen years ago) link

and one's dead (the gay one)

― ken c (ken c), Wednesday, 21 February 2007 17:06 (seventeen years ago) link

wasn't one of them a movie star cuz he looked like Jackie Chan, and took jackie chan-like comedy roles?

― they be stealin' kingfish's bucket (kingfish), Wednesday, 21 February 2007 17:07 (seventeen years ago) link

leslie the gay dude has been in loads of movies but not kung fuey ones (being gay and that)

jacky is mostly singing but also been in some films

― ken c (ken c), Wednesday, 21 February 2007 17:11 (seventeen years ago) link

Leslie Cheung was in A Better Tomorrow, what are you talking about?

― Laurel (Laurel), Wednesday, 21 February 2007 17:13 (seventeen years ago) link

And Ashes of Time. So you were kidding, right?

― Laurel (Laurel), Wednesday, 21 February 2007 17:15 (seventeen years ago) link

ok he was in ashes of time. and held some guns in a better tomorrow. hardly jackie chan is it?

― ken c (ken c), Wednesday, 21 February 2007 17:23 (seventeen years ago) link

50 points to laurel for her hk film knowledge

― they be stealin' kingfish's bucket (kingfish), Wednesday, 21 February 2007 17:28 (seventeen years ago) link

And Once a Thief, and Better Tomorrow II and III and The Bride with White Hair (which I don't know, I just got it from wikipedia) and probably lots of others. Hush.

― Laurel (Laurel), Wednesday, 21 February 2007 17:35 (seventeen years ago) link

I mean, about TL not being in kung fu-y movies. :)

― Laurel (Laurel), Wednesday, 21 February 2007 17:38 (seventeen years ago) link

i could have phrased it better i guess - how about not particularly/specifically renowned for being a kung fuey actor in his acting career?

― ken c (ken c), Wednesday, 21 February 2007 17:42 (seventeen years ago) link

Haha, but I am guilty of thinking of him specifically that way because I usually see him in movies with either Chow Yun Fat or Maggie Cheung. So this is really just a matter of perception.

― Laurel (Laurel), Wednesday, 21 February 2007 17:43 (seventeen years ago) link

a kung fuey actor

thus my specification of "jackie chan-like comedy roles", i.e. the funny bits, not nec. the stunty bits

― they be stealin' kingfish's bucket (kingfish), Wednesday, 21 February 2007 17:45 (seventeen years ago) link

in any case i shouldn't have really mentioned kung fu at all it's just that jackie chan reminded me of it (oddly enough), the point was that i don't think his acting career started because he was a jackie chan lookalike! The kind of films they're in are so different!

XPOST

― ken c (ken c), Wednesday, 21 February 2007 17:50 (seventeen years ago) link

but yeah he's been in comedy films!

― ken c (ken c), Wednesday, 21 February 2007 17:51 (seventeen years ago) link

now you two have made me want to watch all these films

― ken c (ken c), Wednesday, 21 February 2007 17:55 (seventeen years ago) link

I saw a dragon in entertaining the customers in a Chinese restaurant the other day. A small child was having none of it.

― The Real Dirty Vicar (The Real Dirty Vicar), Thursday, 22 February 2007 22:43 (seventeen years ago) link

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